1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to forming or casting concrete and more particularly to concrete construction forms and tie rods used to hold such concrete construction forms in parallel spaced apart relationship. The invention further relates to concrete construction forms and tie rods which facilitate disassembly of form assemblies following the construction process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Concrete walls are poured or cast between parallel spaced apart assemblies of concrete construction forms. The concrete construction forms generally comprise rigid generally planar structures usually comprised of wood, aluminum, iron, steel or combinations of these materials, the concrete forms each having a planar forming surface and being assembled in mutually coplanar relationship to form a continuous concrete forming surface. The forms are joined together by pins extending through the end walls of the forms and a wedge is forced into a longitudinal slot in the end of the pins such that the forms can be held securely in adjacent relation.
Poured concrete walls are formed by positioning two such concrete form assemblies in spaced apart parallel relation wherein concrete can be poured therebetween. The form assemblies are held in the correct spaced apart relationship by the tie rods extending between the form assemblies, the respective opposite ends of these tie rods being secured between concrete forms of the concrete form assemblies. The tie rods commonly include holes in their ends whereby the pins used to join the forms together can extend through the holes in the ends of the tie rods to secure the ends of the tie rods.
Following the concrete pouring process and after the concrete has hardened, the forms are disassembled for reuse. The wedges are pounded out of the respective slots in the ends of the pins, and the pins are pounded out of the holes in the end walls of the forms to thereby permit separation of the forms. The forms can then be removed leaving the tie rods embedded in the poured wall.
During the concrete pouring process, the wet concrete exerts static force on the forms, in turn causing the pins to exert a force on the tie rods. During disassembly of the forms, the force of the pins against the tie rods makes removal of the pins difficult. Normally the ends of the pins must be struck repeatedly with a heavy hammer to drive the pins out of the holes in the concrete form end walls.